Gallo reference /TAS vs Me

After reading so many different positive comments on the Ref. 3s, I had to hear them myself and did today at a local dealer. Driven with all Audio Research gear and of course w/o any bass amp, they sounded very nice but not much different than my modified Kindel PLS-As. When I asked if they were broken in, the dealer laughed a little and said yes.

I was surprised they were as short...small...tiny as they are. I had read all the reviews but I just wasn't prepared for their...er...itsybitsyness. These would make GREAT speakers for the 4 corners of a multichannel system in a small room! I think I'll be going back with a friend so I'll hear them again and get his opinion too. We'll see.

Also heard the big Quads (989s?) driven by Manley 250s(?) with the same music. DEEP soundstage, MUCH more bottom-octave bass...an astonishing (to me) amount. Wow!
.

to Jeffreybehr -

There aren't really ALL that many positive comments here if you read with a grain of salt. Check out the remarks above by Banksfriend, Troutki, Toudou, Vladimir, Kalan, and Zog.

I have listened to these (already "broken in") and they are overrated in my opinion. On the upside - they are "fast", image well under some circumstances, and produce transients very well. They pack plenty of punch for their small size. And they look pretty cool. However - I found them to be quite harsh/strident. They produce a lot of detail but in an "etched" manner to my ears. So they're exciting in the showroom, but potentially very fatiguing at home. Tube amplification would definitely help - but at 88db efficiency, the Ref III's are not super tube-friendly.

I found them to be acceptable with small groups and solo instruments, jazz vocals and the like, but with anything larger they were sub-par. As musical complexity and dynamic range increased, the tonal accuracy in the lower mids broke down significantly - your basic muddiness, and the soundstage became confused. So we've got mild harshness on top and substantial muddiness in the mids, combined with a good but limited low-end. Not Class A or B in my book.

$2400 isn't much for NEW speakers nowadays, so I suppose they're a decent "value", but, of course, you'll also want/need the additional Gallo Bass module amp - so you're starting to look at REAL money. Brilliant marketing, eh? You buy "cheap" speakers at $2600 + tax and then 6 months later come back and drop another $1000 + tax to make the bass "even better"...

We could have an entire thread on this issue also - but I don't buy the "they need to break in" argument. At $3800 to $3900 with bass amp and tax, I'll look elsewhere.

They might work better for your ears. But keep in mind that $3900 will buy some superb, mint condition, used speakers - with little depreciation risk, here on Audiogon if one is patient.

As an owner of these, I can say if you "don't buy" the they need to break in, idea, you shouldn't buy them. I did, and after their break in which I was present for, they sound terrific, and are a great value at their price, or even a grand or two more. They image fantastically, and I use them with tubes and find them to be very tube friendly in spite of the 88 db efficiency. The low end, while starting out rather bland, after break-in, sounds now to be more than adequate and deep, especially considering that I'm using tubes. I will get the bass amp in the future, for fun. There are hundreds of different speaker makers out there. Some people buy for looks, some for a particular way they like the sound to be presented. The bottom line is, many people including myself think these speakers are the real deal for an incredible price. Everyone should listen for themselves, but don't avoid them because one, or more people from a random forum tell you these don't measure up.
Some people will not\like a product no matter how good it sounds, to a few or many. Listen for yourself. But seriously, make sure the pair you hear is broken in, before you relegate them to the "harsh" scrap heap.

I agree with Rolloff 100%. I didn't think it possible to make them sound like Opalchip says they sound. After three months with mine, they just keep getting better and better. And yes, they are VERY tube-friendly. Dave

Well, I will be going back again to listen more with a friend. They never sounded harsh or strident to me, but they also didn't sound better in the treble than my modified Kindel PLS-As...but the trebles are my worst range of sound to hear well.

On break-in, I believe firmly that transducers definitely benefit from wearing in, a settling, of all the parts. What's still a question for me is if this pair is or is not broken in, since the shop owner sort of laughed when I asked him on the fone if they were broken in. I guess I'll have to hear them in my home with my equipment before I spend money on them.

I'm still inclined to believe they're excellent-quality reproducers and excellent values at $2600; we'll see.
.